French colonial administration pdf

Indirect rule on the other hand is a system of government used by the british and french to control parts of their colonial empires, particularly in africa and asia, through preexisting local. The major policy of french colonial administration in west africa until 1946 took on the wheels of assimilation. French colonial policy, warfare, and eighteenthcentury. French and british colonial legacies in education paris school of. France is in africa to make frenchmen out of the africans, explains derwent whittlesey in the january 1937 edition of foreign affairs. The french authorities brought african slaves to the island and established sugar planting as the main industry, and the colony prospered. Monarchs under british and french colonial rule, 18151955 oxford, oxford. The french colonial policy of assimilation and the. The french policy of assimilation and its effects on. Also, unlike the rest of chad, a modest level of economic development occurred in the south because of the introduction in 1929 of largescale cotton production.

Similarities and differences between the british and french. Colonial institutions are thought to be an important determinate of pos tindependence levels of political stability, economic growth, and public goods provision. Environmental history, policy, and colonial administration winner of the 2004 millstone prize diana k. French ideas about colonial policy as in many things were dividedassimilation french colonial policy as early as the 1780s was distinguished by the ideology of assimilation. Colonial system of administration in kenya atika school. They therefore disapproved the idea of uplifting them. The french administration remunerated chiefs well and organized them through the colonial provincial councils of chiefs. Welcome to hfrenchcolonial, the international scholarly online network on french colonial history and cultural studies, as well as examining links between metropolitan france and its colonies past and present. The minister spent the rest of his life trying to reverse this situation. Unlike northern and central chad, a french colonial system of direct civilian administration was set up among the sara, a southern ethnic group, and their neighbors. British and french styles of influence in colonial and. It originally covered an expansive territory that included most of the drainage basin of the. It was established over the siamese vassal, the kingdom of luang phrabang, following the francosiamese war in 1893. The federation was headed by a governorgeneral answerable to the french minister for colonies in paris.

Direct and indirect rule westafrican colonial administration. These dependencies were often called protectorates or trucial states. A french view of colonial administration, journal of the royal african. Assimilation and association in french colonial theory. In contrast to the english colonies, where religious, royal, and proprietary colonies existed concurrently, under spanish colonial administration, proprietary, missionary, and royal colonies existed in consecutive stages. The french colonial empire was heavily involved in vietnam in the 19th century. British and french in cameroon present a hard case for the hypothesis of. Originally colonized by germany, cameroon was divided between britain and france during world war i at a boundary that was unrelated to existing political, economic, demographic, and physical.

French ideas about colonial policy as in many things were dividedassimilation french businesspersons and their friends in the colonial administration saw africans as source of cheap labour. The eight french colonies were grouped into the confederation of french west africa. Available in paperback for the first time, with a new preface by the author, this edition will interest all students of. Pdf the french colonial occupation and the algerian. Assimilation was one ideological basis of french colonial policy in the 19th and 20th centuries. French colonial policy as early as the 1780s was distinguished by the ideology of assimilation. Assimilation and association in french colonial theory, 1890. Nigeria and believed that, while the colonial government should. Additionally, chiefs acquired free labor from their subjects for agricultural and other commercials purposes. Dec, 2016 colonial administrative systems were the ways of controlling and maintaining colonial power in colonies after the establishment of colonialism. The colonial and postcolonial transformation of african.

Similarities and differences between the british and. Davis university of texas scholars of colonialism are familiar with the many changes wrought by colonial administration, especially for the lives of indigenous peoples all over the world. Dec 16, 2002 this article analyses french assimilation policy towards the four communes of the colony of senegal, placing it in a new conceptual framework of globalization and post. Colonial administrative systems were the ways of controlling and maintaining colonial power in colonies after the establishment of colonialism. The first section will discuss the general developments in african colonies, with a focus on the types of british and french colonial administration. In 1767 the french crown took over the islands administration from the french east india company. With hundreds of pages, and multimedia, the bbc investigates the events and characters that have made african history from the origins of. The africans consider the impact of colonization on them to be perhaps the most important factor in understanding the present condition of the african continent and of the african. I did not choose the major settler colonies algeria, rhodesia, south.

A landmark book in the field of french colonial theory, assimilation and association in french colonial theory, 18901914, has served as the central point of reference for every major colonial historian during the four decades since its original publication in 1961. By adopting french language and culture, the indigenous populations under colonial rule could eventually become french, sharing in the equal rights of citizenship. The raison detre of the french colonies was to benefit france. Colonialists including germany, french, british, portugal, belgium etc. The french colonial authority determ ined its position visavis the identity of colonised algerians, which stemmed from religion and the arabic language. The french model of assimilation and direct rule faidherbe. Oct 06, 20 france is in africa to make frenchmen out of the africans, explains derwent whittlesey in the january 1937 edition of foreign affairs. French ideas about colonial policy as in many things were dividedassimilation legacies. Scientific expeditions into mauritania became increasingly subject to attack, and their european leaders were killed or held for ransom. Hfrenchcolonial encourages discussions of research interests, teaching methods, and. Wikimatrix pereira lost his job and was put on trial when, in 1890, he suggested that the british should take over colonial administration of the colony due to portuguese incompetence. Spanish colonial institutions in the americas evolved over decades and in various locales.

Direct rule is when an imperial or central power takes direct control over the legislature, executive and civil administration of an otherwise largely selfgoverning territory. Each colony of french west africa was administered by a lieutenant governor, responsible to the governor general in dakar. Among histories of french imperialism, aldrich 1996 is a concise, readable overview of french colonial empire in the 19th and 20th centuries, presented in thematic chapters. British vs french colonial rule in west africa obolobo. The underlying policy was to enable france implant french culture and civilisation on the people with the intention of suffocating the culture and fundamentalities of afrikans. In 1607 they abandoned their establishment and fort at. The french have often been associated with direct rule, in contrast to the british, who are said to have ruled more indirectly. Colonial administration each colony of french west africa was administered by a lieutenant governor, responsible to the governor general in dakar. In virtual control of the colonial administration, the commercial companies of saint louis sold arms to the maures, while at the same time outfitting french punitive missions.

Dec 30, 2016 1 the french and british methods of colonial administration in africa were similar not different. As a result, few gained western educations thus limiting their influence in colonial administration or postcolonial politics of gabon. British and french colonial technique in west africa. The task of ruling so conglomerate an empire will certainly not be easy. Jan 02, 2018 the system of education used in former french colonies are still the same as in french up to date. No other area in africa of equal size offers such variety of topography, climate, language, and religion. British, french, belgian and portuguese models of colonial.

The history of the continent from an african perspective. The french policy towards the colonial subject was. Citizenship in colonial africa journal of political inquiry. British and french colonialism in africa, asia and the middle east. Colonialism and colonial administrative system in africa. The french colonial policy of assimilation and the civility.

Colonialism and the african experience chapter 4 introduction colonization of africa by european countries was a monumental milestone in the development of africa. There developed a familial bond between colonial authorities and chiefs. The french protectorate of laos was a french protectorate in southeast asia of what is today laos between 1893 and 1953with a brief interregnum as a japanese puppet state in 1945which constituted part of french indochina. British, french, belgian and portuguese models of colonial rule and economic development in africa ngozi caleb kamalu, ph. Having lived in ghana, i am aware that the country is surrounded by french speaking countries cote divoire to the west, burkina faso to the north, togo to the east.

In contrast with british imperial policy, the french taught their subjects that, by adopting french language and culture, they could eventually become french. French caribbean, no more than three or four were frenchowned. The french invasion of indochina was sparked off by the execution of christian missionaries. Nevertheless there were such fundamental differences between the french and british systems that, even if both did make use of chiefs, it is not possible to place the french system of native administration in the same category as british indirect rule. This article analyses french assimilation policy towards the four communes of the colony of senegal, placing it in a new conceptual framework of globalization and post. Colonial administration styles in perspective the british and french examples in west africa quick reminders contents france in west africa indirect rule. Colonial approaches to governance in the periphery. The french businesspersons and their friends in the colonial administration saw africans as source of cheap labour. They were governed from one capital, dakar, senegal. Available in paperback for the first time, with a new preface by the author.

The objective of the article is to show how the two perspectives described above evoke diverging answers to the question of shifts and continuities in colonial administration in postwar africa. British and french colonies due to an exogenous shock unrelated to local. Until the close of the nineteenth century, french colonial theory was based on the idea of assimilation, which gave france the responsibility for civilizing its colonies by absorbing them administratively and culturally. This policy was put most famously into practice in the oldest french colonial towns. French system of native administration in the same category as british.

Colonial history 1893, proclaimed a colony by france after 50 years of presence used a system of direct, centralized administration, with natives trained and serving in government infrastructure. Postwar colonial administration africa international. Political administration of french indochina wikipedia. The british and the french have already acquired a fund of experience as a result of their. The first minister of marine and colonies, jeanbaptiste colbert 16191683, was controller general of finance from 1665 and secretary of state for the navy. The french system of administration was highly centralized. Citizenship in colonial africa an overview of british and french repertoires.

Later, the french forced the emperor to place cambodia under french protection. The french policy of assimilation and its effects on french. Comparing british and french colonial legacies 3 to identify the effects of colonial legacy, we focus on one case, the west african nation of cameroon. The french authorities brought african slaves to the island and established sugar planting as the main industry, and. French colonial rule african studies oxford bibliographies. Introducing french colonial administration westafrican. Comparing british and french colonial legacies university of. African countries which were former french colonies regarded as francophone countries overseas process of french which still have close relationships with the. French caribbean, no more than three or four were french owned. Between the end of the eighteenth and the middle of the nineteenth century, the four cities of saint. Indirect rule on the other hand is a system of government used by the british and french to control parts of their colonial empires, particularly in africa and asia, through preexisting local power structures. The annexation of ethiopia has presented the italian government with a tremendous problem in colonial administration. Administrative structure colonies lands acquired before the conquestbritish citizens territories protectorate lands. The french had realized that not all the colonial people could be assimilated.